John C. Banks

John Banks was born June 4, 1931 at Bridgeport, CT hospital.  He was given a name that had been in the family for every generation since the 1800’s.

John grew up on a Fairfield, CT farm driving tractors, hay trucks and other farm machines.  In the winter he  enjoyed ice skating and sledding.  His best friend, John Galaski, and John were inseparable.  They enjoyed building forts and would get into trouble playing pranks which is why their parents ended up sending them to different schools.

John attended public schools in Fairfield, CT through his freshman year, playing both baseball and basketball.   He liked basketball better since he was tall and could get the jump ball.  He didn’t like playing first base in baseball because he would feel badly if he missed the ball.  As a sophomore he went to New York Military Academy for one year.  He finished high school at Mount Hermon School in MA,  where he was on the track team.

John was accepted to the University of Connecticut but was drafted during the Korean War.  He was stationed in Alaska working on communications systems for the United States Army.

After serving his country in the United States Army, John returned home to Long Hill, Connecticut where he worked for the Southern New England Telephone Company.  After marrying Violet Randall they moved to Monroe, CT where they had three children, Sandra, Jack and Brad.

John and family moved to Peterborough, NH in 1968 where he worked 33 years for New England Telephone Company until his retirement in 1983.  Over the next 35 years he worked with his son Brad running B-S-B Groundskeeping in Peterborough returning to his roots, mowing fields, cutting and raking hay with an old fashion hay rake.  Loving the outdoors, John would often be found on one of his tractors or repairing equipment.

John and Vi  enjoyed traveling extensively throughout New England and most of the United States, Alaska and Canada in their truck camper.  They also enjoyed collecting sap which they boiled in their sugar house into award winning maple syrup.  John was a member of the United Methodist Church in Peterborough, serving on many committees and singing in the choir.

John had a lifelong love of animals.  He had six cats and ten dogs in his lifetime.

One month after John and Violet’s 66th wedding anniversary and one day before Violet’s 87th birthday, John passed away peacefully at Monadnock Community Hospital surrounded by his family on October 13, 2018.  He was 87 years old.

In addition to his beloved wife Violet (Randall) Banks of Peterborough, he is survived by his sons John (Jack) of Westborough, MA and Brad of St. Petersburg, Florida and Peterborough, NH.  John also is survived by four grandchildren;  Daniel Proulx of Hartford, VT, Christy (Banks) Clark of Upton, MA, John Casey Banks of North Attleborough, MA and Christopher John Banks of Bellingham, MA.  Also, four great-grandchildren, Connor John Banks and Breah Nicole Banks of North Attleborough, MA, Taylor John Clark of Upton, MA and Kinley Hope Banks of Bellingham, MA.  He was pre deceased by his daughter Sandra Banks Proulx of Cornish Flat, NH.

A private burial service is planned.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John’s name to either the United Methodist Church in Peterborough, NH or the Peterborough Masonic Lodge, Altemont Lodge #26 in West Peterborough, NH.